3 February | March 2017
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Contents ON THE COVER:
Serving the Community of Cypress Creek Lakes
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20
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Janet Ryan: Cy-Fair Helping Hands Welcomes
18 Cypress School News
New Executive Director
19 Canine Corner
12 Cypress Happenings
20 Best of Cy-Fair: Flour Petal Bakery
14 Music Through Early Childhood
22 Cy-Fair Houston Chamber Business
16 Andrea Curran: Making Connections That Make a Difference
of the Year Awards
7 February | March 2022
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Janet Ryan
PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE
Cy-Fair Helping Hands Executive Director
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y-Fair Helping Hands, a nonprofit organization serving the homeless and hungry in northwest Harris County, has named Janet Ryan as its new Executive Director. Ms. Ryan joined CyFair Helping on February 3, 2022.
“We are very pleased to announce this appointment,” reports Kevin Polivka, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CyFair Helping Hands. “Janet will bring additional leadership and a breadth of perspective and experience to the organization, along with a deep sense of commitment to our community.” Janet has been involved in the non-profit sector for over 12 years with extensive experience in leadership, strategy, public relations, marketing and communications. She is an accomplished business professional and has served on a number of nonprofit boards and committees, and most recently, as the Director of Development for a local nonprofit, serving families and individuals in financial crisis. Her expertise in management, fundraising, and communications result in the solid growth of nonprofit organizations and their programs. Cy-Fair Helping Hands (CFHH) is implementing a plan of strategic growth. For the past four years, Patricia Hudson, Executive Director of
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Community Outreach, and Jean Dreyer, Executive Director of Homeless Services, have served as coleader and will continue to lead their respective teams under the guidance of Ms. Ryan. Ms. Hudson’s and Ms. Dreyer’s passionate dedication to serving the homeless and hungry by improving and expanding services, growing the volunteer base, and increasing the financial capabilities of CFHH during their tenure led the organization to where it is today – poised for additional growth. Cy-Fair Helping Hands is preparing to kick off their Help Build Hope Campaign with the goal
of raising $2.5 million for the acquisition of land and a multi-purpose Service Center to increase services to the unprivileged in our community. Ms. Ryan’s contributions to nonprofit governance, strategic planning, and financial management, along with her experience, culture, and drive, make her an ideal fit for Cy-Fair Helping Hands’ future stages of growth. About Cy-Fair Helping Hands Cy-Fair Helping Hands, (CFHH), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded to help the homeless of Cy-Fair become self-sufficient. Since its inception in 2010, CFHH has grown to include a Community Food Pantry, enabling CFHH to serve not only the homeless, but the hungry. Additional programs include provision of Emergency Shelter, scholarships for unprivileged students, a Street Outreach, a Homeless Day Shelter, programs for homeless students, and events and programs during the holidays and at back-to-school time. Janet with Patricia Hudson, CFHH Director of Community Outreach. Photo by David Postma
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Janet reflects on her new position “I’m very much looking forward to our Help Build Hope campaign. Within our community, the needs of the homeless and those who are struggling financially continue to grow and to meet those needs, Cy-Fair Helping Hands needs to grow as well. I am seeing the hope CFHH offers on a daily basis. For example, a young man who has been on the streets for five months was transported for the first time by a CFHH volunteer to our Day Center for a hot lunch, a shower, and a chance to do his laundry. While at the Day Center he met one of the Sheriff's Department Homeless Outreach Teams, (HOT), who learned the young man had applied for a job at a local grocer in an attempt to gain employment and get off of the streets. The HOT representatives then went to the grocer and gave this young man a good reference. For this young man, the day someone from CFHH met him, cared for him, and introduced him to others who care was literally a life-changer. I feel blessed to be a part of this organization.”
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If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Towne Lake, Bridgeland/Blackhorse Ranch, Coles Crossing, or Cypress Creek Lakes individual or family that needs to be featured in an upcoming issue of PinPointe Magazine, please contact me: texasteacher024@outlook.com.
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Cypress
HAPPENINGS
Bridgeland Community Friday Night Bites 2nd Friday of the month: April 8 & May 13, 2022 • 6-10pm Lakeland Village Center • 16902 Bridgeland Landing • Cypress, TX Grab your lawn chairs and enjoy great food truck fare and live music!
9th Annual CFISD Superintendent’s Fun Run Saturday, April 9, 2022 Berry Center • 8877 Barker Cypress Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433 Proceeds benefit the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation (CFEF). Register at: www.cfisd.net/funrun
Houston’s First Baptist Maundy Thursday Thursday, April 14, 2022 • 7pm 11011 Mason Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433 • On-Campus & Online The Cypress Campus family will remember Jesus’ sacrifice at our Broken For You service on April 14, as we gather in praise, prayer, and preparation for Easter with Campus Pastor Jason Swiggart. The evening will also include observance of the Lord’s Supper. www.houstonsfirst.org/cypress/event/broken-for-you
For more local events visit: www.bestofcyfair.com
12 April | May 2022
Foundry Church Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 16, 2022 • 5pm Fry Road Campus • 10203 Fry Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433 Come enjoy a FREE Easter Egg hunt with your family! Petting zoo, face painting, bounce houses, egg hunt, family photo booth. www.foundrychurch.org
Christ the Redeemer Annual Spring Festival Saturday, April 30, 2022 • 6-11pm • Sunday, May 1, 2022 • Noon-7pm Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church 11511 Huffmeister Rd. • Houston, TX 77065 Enjoy food, rides, games, raffle, live & silent auctions and more! ctrcc.com/springfestival
Shrek the Musical Thursday, May 19: 7pm • Friday, May 20: 7pm Saturday, May 21: 2pm & 7pm • Monday, May 23: 7pm Bridgeland High School • 10707 Mason Rd. • Cypress, TX 77433 Tickets: $20 online, $25 at the door, Students $15 Shrek The Musical is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure, featuring all new songs.
From the Vine Ministries Events The Vineyard • 19125 Mueschke Rd. • Tomball, TX 77377 We offer a wide variety of workshops, groups, speakers, bible study and more! Visit: www.fromthevineministries.com/event/
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Music Through Early Childhood
Supporting Your Child s’ Love of Music by Liz Arrington
hile the world around us is changing, many things remain the same. Our children are learning and growing through this unique period of time, with the majority (if not all!) of their time spent at home with their primary caregivers. As a parent of two highly energetic boys, I am there in the trenches with you! Music is a wonderful tool for any parent to use at any time: to support learning, relieve stress, and connect with your little one. Knowing that music is one of the building blocks to learning, it helps to understand what behaviors to look for and enjoy as we play musically with our children.
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for toddler music, as this supports language development and learning. If you find yourself getting tired of singing the same song over and over (and over) try replacing words with nonsense noises, narration of your day, replace the words with animal noises or sounds from the world, to encourage creativity and humor.
Children of all ages express themselves through music, even babies! Infants coo, wiggle, and cry in response to (and on pitch with!) music. We instinctively use music to soothe fussy babies, sing lullabies to help them sleep, and use songs to play and communicate with them. If you are a parent and you’re insecure about how your voice sounds when singing to your baby, you have to know this, it sounds incredible. YOUR voice is the most beautiful sound in the world to them. Singing and dancing with your baby improves your bond, helps baby to develop neural pathways, and teaches them language skills. The best part about making music with your baby? You are in charge of the playlist!
By preschool, we can expect most children to be confident and enthusiastic music makers. They like songs that provide repetition and specific movements, nonsense words and general silliness. I think most of us remember the great “Baby Shark” craze of a few years ago, which basically had ALL the major components of a preschooler’s favorite jam. Improved coordination and balance supports more advanced rhythm development, and you may begin to see your preschooler incorporating music into their play. Your preschooler may be showing a greater aptitude for music at this stage, and they may become interested in more formal, structured, musical experiences. It is still very important during the preschool years to make room for a great deal of musical play and exploration. Play continues to be a major learning tool during the preschool years, and these little ones greatly benefit from self-directed, spontaneous, and play-based musical experiences.
Toddlers experience music, and most of their lives, through movement. They have fun jumping, running, clapping, and spinning as they explore different sounds and movements. At this stage music should be an active experience versus passive listening or observing. Repetition is the key
As children enter school age, they generally will have developed a basic competence for the fundamentals of music, the ability to carry a tune and keep a beat. Especially if they have been provided with a consistent exposure to music in those early years. This is typically when children
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are ready for formal music lessons and begin to learn basic music theory. The building blocks of early musical learning have paved the way for improved language development, reading and math skills, social and physical development. Naturally, all children develop and grow differently. In general, we see similar patterns of musical development, but there is never a “right” or a “wrong” way for a young child to be musical. The common thread during all of these stages is your role as the parent. While nearly all children are born to love music, it’s the intentional encouragement of loving grown ups that unlocks the rich developmental benefits of early childhood musical experiences. Enjoying music together as a family helps to support the disposition toward the value of music, brings families closer together, and continues the musical journey that you have been on together since those early days.
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So- add more music to your life! Hold a living room dance party, sing your favorite songs in the car, make up playful songs during bathtime. Just sing, sing, sing!
Liz Arrington combines her back-ground as a professional children’s therapist with her love of music to provide early childhood music and movement classes to families of Cypress. Outdoor, Weekday, and Saturday classes available. See more at www.songfulbeginnings.com PinPointe Magazine
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Andrea Curran
PINPOINTE RESIDENT PROFILE
Making Connections That Make a Difference By Patricia Hudson
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hile many may associate the name Curran with the flourishing real estate market, the name has come to mean fostering new community relationships and making a positive impact in Cypress. Utilizing social media through videography and Random Acts of Cypress, Andrea Curran is spotlighting locally owned and operated businesses and nonprofit organizations. Andrea and her husband Ty are our featured Cypress family. Andrea graciously agreed to an interview. Where did you meet? We met at Mississippi State University when I was a little sister in his fraternity. We have been married for twelve years and moved to Cypress when we got married because we loved the opportunities for our children in Cy Fair ISD. Education? I have a Bachelor of Science from Mississippi State and a Masters of Arts from the University of Alabama. Ty holds a Bachelor of Science from Mississippi State. Our older daughter is also a Mississippi State Bulldog. The sound of cowbells is music to all our ears. Place of employment? I am a real estate broker and founded the Andrea Curran Team with Compass. As a founding Compass agent in Cypress, I was recently added as a founding agent in the newly formed Compass Ranch and Land Division. My team is ranked in the top 1% of the United States by the Wall Street Journal. We recently won an award 16 April | May 2022
from the Greater Houston Builders Association. Ty is a chemical engineer and does consulting for oil and gas. His specialty is offshore process. In what Cypress neighborhood do you call home? We have lived in Fairfield since 2009. Our favorite thing about the Fairfield area is the sense of community and the wonderful small businesses that make it unique. Tell us about your children. Emily is a junior at Mississippi State University majoring in dairy and animal science, while planning a doctorate degree in equine reproduction. She is on the equestrian team. Leah is a student at Salyards Middle School. She enjoys competitive dance with Fairfield Dance Center. This is Leah’s fourth year to be in the Fairfield Ty & Emily at a Dance Company competitive team. Mississippi State game
Brant and Hanna Schomburg round out our family. Brant and Hanna have twin baby girls. They live in Alabama where they spend their time chasing babies who have just learned to walk. Favorite Causes? We love supporting Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue, Child Advocates, and Cy-Hope. Each of these organizations make a real difference. Sharing the needs and events of the nonprofits in our Cypress community helps to unite us all. What do you find are your biggest family challenges?
Finding intentional downtime and family time can be challenging with our schedules. With our busy schedules, we have learned to be intentional in planning time together. What are your favorite family activities? Our very favorite thing to do is go to Mississippi State Football games. We also love camping, boating, and fishing. Emily and I love horses and try to ride any chance we get, which is a lot more often for Emily than for me. One of our favorite activities through the years has been watching Emily compete in horse shows, ride with a mounted drill team and watch Leah dance. We also love to travel together, especially for anything outdoors like snow skiing, boating, the beach or the mountains. Now that we have babies in the family, watching them grow is amazing for all of us. People would be surprised to know that … People are surprised to learn that we own four dogs and five horses. Through the years, we have at times had as many as 13 animals in our family at one time. Mom and Dad’s hobbies/down time activities? I love outdoor sports and activities, when I have time away from work. Ty loves SEC sports and live music. Parting Comments Living in the Fairfield area and raising our family here has been the best decision we have ever made. The opportunities for our children, and the relationships we have built mean the world to us. We cannot imagine living anywhere else.
Leah & Emily with the twins
If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Towne Lake, Bridgeland/Blackhorse Ranch, Coles Crossing, or Cypress Creek Lakes individual or family that needs to be featured in an upcoming issue of PinPointe Magazine, please contact me: texasteacher024@outlook.com.
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WWW.BESTOFCYFAIR.COM Leah’s birthday last year, where she asked for donations to Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue in lieu of gifts.
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CYPRESS SCHOOL NEWS Source: CFISD News Media
Cy-Ranch Students Advance to Area One-Act Play Contests University Interscholastic League (UIL) One-Act Play productions were selected to advance to the area competitions following the Bi-District One-Act Play contests on March 22 and March 24.
Cy Ranch’s Harrell Finishes as State Runner-Up in UIL Wrestling Tournament
The top three plays from each bi-district competition advance to the area contests. Cypress Ranch’s production Treasure Island earned the top spot in the Bi-District 15/16-6A competition, while Bridgeland’s production Leading Ladies earned second place. Klein Collins High School earned third place. Bridgeland and Cypress Ranch will compete in the Area UIL One-Act Play competition on April 2 at Magnolia High School. The following Cy-Ranch students earned bi-district one-act play awards: Izzy Harris
Best Performer
Daniel Whaley
All-Star Cast
CJ Friend
Honorable Mention: All-Star Cast
Nathan Hale
Best Technician Best Technical Crew
Emily Childs
Best Technical Crew
Cy-Ranch High School’s UIL One-Act Play, Treasure Island, was one of three Bi-District 15/16-6A productions selected to advance Best Technical Crew to the area competition on April 2 at Magnolia High School.
Daniella Martinez Best Technical Crew Liam Yelenick
Xavior Harrell, top, wrestles Arlington Martin’s Shawn Ryncarz in the Class 6A 120-pound championship match
A year after placing fifth, Cypress Ranch High School senior Xavior Harrell again reached the podium by finishing as the state wrestling runner-up in the Class 6A 120-pound division. Harrell was CFISD’s top finisher and among six participants to earn top-six medals at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament, held Feb. 18-19 at the Berry Center. Harrell won 37 of 38 matches this season before falling to Arlington Martin’s Shawn Ryncarz in the championship match. He finishes his prep career as a four-time state qualifier for Cypress Ranch, earning consecutive berths at 120 pounds after reaching state in the 106-pound division in 2019 and in 113-pound division in 2020. Cypress Ranch was the highest-finishing CFISD team in both tournaments. In the boys’ tournament, Cypress Ranch scored 32.5 points to place 15th overall.
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On the girls’ side, the Mustangs scored 31 points to place 11th overall. Christopher Potter, Cypress Ranch head coach, was named the girls’ wrestling head coach of the year by the Texas High School Wrestling Coaches Association, while Mustangs’ assistant Evroy Thompson was named the state’s top assistant coach. Anna Vogt placed fourth in the state.
By Patricia Hudson and Sophia Hudson, the Rescue Yorkiepoo
Canine Corner O
nce a starved and neglected dog, hardly surviving the cruel streets in the Rio Grand Valley, Phoenix rose from the ashes to fight for his life. Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue board member, Cindy Lowery, explains, “As soon as we saw his picture, we knew we had to help him. We asked ourselves “’how is this poor boy even still alive?”’ “Phoenix was skin and bones, suffering with Sarcoptic and Demodex mange. He was not only starved of food, but of any sort of love in his two years of life and cowered at kind hands. We rushed Phoenix to the animal ER. Thankfully, after a few days of supportive care, Phoenix was able to go to his medical foster. Volunteers, transporters, fosters, and supporters made it possible to save Phoenix. He will never know what it’s like to go hungry, unloved or unwanted ever again and that’s exactly what rescue is all about. Phoenix is in an amazing foster home now.”
Photos by Danny Burke Photography
For more information, go to http://cypressluckymuttrescue.org To donate, go to http://PayPal.me/clmrcypress or Venmo: @CLMR2013
Phoenix
Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue www.cypressluckymuttrescue.org luckymuttrescuecypress@gmail.com PinPointe Magazine
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Flour Petal Bakery
The Best of Cy-Fair P L AC E S TO E AT
By Metta Archilla-Ishida
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ourtney Ngoc Nguyen, a 26-year-old certified Cottage Baker, is owner of The Flour Petal Bakery. Growing up in a single parent household, Courtney recalls how heartbreaking it was to see her mom get up every day to go to work to support the family, and then drive herself to Chemo treatments. “I watched how strong she was, day in and day out. Due to the chemo treatments, mom couldn’t sleep and so she would bake all night. I would wake up to the scent of cheesecakes, cookies, and cakes wafting out of the oven,” she recalls. Making carrot raisin salad alongside her mom fueled her love for creating in the kitchen. “One year, we forgot to get the carrots and I threw a fit. Early the next morning, mom and I walked to the grocery store to buy those carrots!” Courtney’s first solo baking memory was at 14 when she baked a birthday cake for her mom. While you could see the mason jars distinctly layered with rainbows of color and topped with sparkler candles, “The taste was just awful.” No matter, this was the catapult that launched Courtney’s love for baking. Courtney’s journey into her successful baking career started in college; too poor to go out to eat with friends, she would cook and invite them over. The positive feedback from friends and family confirmed her talent in the kitchen. Courtney graduated from Baylor University with degrees in Biology and Chemistry and minors in Spanish and Public Health.
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Despite her degrees, Courtney couldn’t find a job. Cottage Baker certificates in hand, she began baking cakes, cake pops, and cookies. Courtney remembers, “This baking income is how we paid for Medical Center parking, food for the week, gas, and the basics, just to get by.” The positive feedback from local baking gigs boosted her confidence. The Flour Petal Bakery was born, and baking became her full-time career. Courtney has grown her company enough to hire an assistant that keeps track of
bookings and scheduling. Courtney plans to embrace this growth over the next few years, and in God’s time, to open her own Flour Petal Bakery storefront in Cypress, Texas. A Flour Petal signature trademark, Courtney adorns her cupcakes and cakes with fresh flowers and hand-crafted embellishments such as gold leafing, macrons, and chocolates. These toppers are truly a work of art. Such beauties are simply too pretty to eat, but one bite, and it’s a heaven’s kiss on your lips. Courtney is a champion of her Cypress Community. In partnership with Velma Perez of Cookie Gram Tx, they have started an organization for bakers in the Cypress and surrounding areas to help other bakers grow under the Cottage Law, to navigate the pitfalls, and provide guidance and constructive direction so that other likeminded bakers can be successful in a tough, laborintensive industry. “We believe that there is enough
business for everyone. We are a foundation that encourages bakers to become the best they can be, living their passion.” The Flour Petal Bakery partners with Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for C h a r i t y, b e n e f i t t i n g Cy-Fair Helping Hands and Lucky Mutt Rescue, and Two Lives Changed, a ministry for Teen Moms to find resources throughout their pregnancy. The Flour Petal Bakery creates stunning baked treats and cakes for your homes and hearts. This is Courtney’s passion. This is her dream. This is her future. The Flour Petal Bakery (832) 422-6069 theflourpetalbakery.com
Metta Archilla-Ishida is the Founder of Metta’s Local Eats FB Group, #onmettasfork
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.bestofcyfair.com.
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Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce Honors Businesses of the Year for 2021 Story by Patricia Hudson • Photos by GenesisPhotographers.com
Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce named top businesses and community nonprofit finalists at the annual Celebrate Cy-Fair event on January 28, 2022, at Lindsay Lakes. Business of the Year Award winners were recognized for their business accomplishments and their service to the community at the February 15th Chamber of Commerce Business Luncheon, held at The Berry Center.
Nonprofit of the Year: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Nonprofit of the Year Nonprofit finalists included the Cy-Fair Fire Department, Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church, and Shield Bearer Counseling Centers. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church was named Nonprofit of the Year based on its support of other nonprofits in the community. Small Business of the Year Businesses with one to nine employees either applied or were nominated for the Small Business of the Year category. Steam Commander, Cypress Lifestyle Magazine, and Shaka Power Yoga were selected as the finalists. Steam Commander was recognized for its professionalism and service to Cy-Fair ISD and to the community.
Small Business of the Year: Steam Commander
Medium Business of the Year: America’s ER and Urgent Care
Medium Business of the Year: Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union
Medium Business of the Year America’s ER and Urgent Care, Clean Juice-Vintage Park and Foodservice Design Professionals were finalists in the category for businesses with 10 – 50 employees. America’s ER and Urgent Care was named Medium Business of the Year for its service to the community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and to schools, the fire department, and EMS.
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Large Business of the Year Businesses with 50 or more employees qualified for Large Business of the Year. Allegiance Bank, Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, and HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress were chosen as finalists for 2021. CyFair Federal Credit Union received the nod for Large Business of the Year for its “dedication to innovation, community support and quality customer service.”
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